Musical instrument



Dec. 16, 1930. E QVERTON 1,785,206

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 23, 1927 INVENTO/P M GTWK F'atentod Dec. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES 1,785,2ilt

PATENT FFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed August 23, 1927. Serial No. 214,824.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in an arm rest for stringed musical instruments. One object of the invention is to provide an improved type of stringed musical instruments, such as lutes, guitars, and the like, the improvement embodying an arm rest, carried by the body of the instrument, and spaced therefrom and adapted to support the arm of the hand, of the player, which cooperates with the fretted fingerboard to control the strings when they have been plucked by the other hand of the player.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a musical instrument of the class referred to, an arm rest, carried by the body of the instrument, and provided to support one arm of the player, to the end that the supported arm will not rest directly on the body of the instrument and reduce the vibration thereof and thereby impair the quality or reduce the range of the tone produced, or

injure the instrument by moisture from the body of the player.

With the above and other objects in view tl is invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and use an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein 2- Figure 1 shows a plan view of a guitar embodying the improvement, and

Figure 2 shows a fragmentary edge view thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures the numeral 1 designates the body of the instrument, the numeral 2, designates the neck thereof, and the numeral 3 refers to the head. The neck carries the fretted fingerboard 4: with which the strings 5 are associated.

In playing the instrument the strings are usually plucked by the right hand of the player, and stopped at the frets of the fingerboard by the left hand. As at present constructed the arm of the hand controlling the strings usually rests directly on the body of the instrument. This is objectional for the reason that it reduces the vibration of the body and impairs the tone and reduces the range thereof.

In order to avoid the necessity of resting the arm directly on the body of the instrument an arm rest 6 has been provided. This rest is preferably plate like in form and is spaced from the instrument body by the short legs 7 which are secured both to said arm rest and to said body. These legs are preferably formed of rubber, cork or resilient, or semiresilient material. The legs may be of the form of rubber vacuum cups if desired making the rest detachable.

It is contemplated that variations may be made in the structure and embodiment of the invention within the scope of the app-ended claims, for example the device can be used as a chin rest, when applied to such instruments as violins.

lVhat I claim is 1. In a stringed musical instrument having a body, a neck and a bridge on said body; an arm rest spaced from the body, and located remote from the neck and to one side of said bridge and legs formed of cushioning material arranged under the margins of said rest and resting on the top of said body and supporting the rest on said body.

2. In a stringed musical instrument, having a body and a bridge resting on the body; an arm rest spaced from the body and to one side of said bridge, legs formed of cushioning material attached to the margins of sa-idrest and effective to hold said rest spaced from said body.

3. In a stringed musical instrument having a neck, a body and a bridge located on the body; an arm rest, plate like in form located laterally from said bridge and located at a margin of the body remote from said neck, a plurality of legs disposed around the margins of the rest and between said margins of the rest and the body and attached directly to the 9 top of said body, and forming means holding said rest in spaced relation to the body.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

Miss ANTOINETTE E. OVERTON. 

